The present invention relates to golf clubs and, in particular, to clubs having an improved handle to allow a larger than usual separation between the hands of the player.
When using a golf club, the player's hands normally grip along the same axis, since there is a single shaft having a handle. This requires the player to place one hand above the other, a grip that is unnatural. Because of the unnatural placement of hands, there is an increased tendency to turn the club along its axis by rolling the wrists. This tendency is especially detrimental for putting. A proper putting stroke involves swinging primarily with the shoulders and upper body, without using the wrist to affect the stroke.
In order to avoid the unnatural hand placement of conventional golf clubs, it has been suggested to use a parallel pair of widely spaced handles. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,919,221. Because of the wide spacing, however, any training done with this known club is not readily transferred when the player uses a single handled club. The large handle-to-handle spacing of the prior art club has a feel which is too different from the single handled club.
In addition, the prior art has not recognized the importance of training with a dual handled club for putting. Training for putting requires a proper feel to accomplish a proper putting stroke. Also with putting, the alignment between handles and the face of the putter head is important. The prior art has neither taught the use of a dual handled putter nor taught what the proper alignment ought to be with a dual handled putter.
Also there has been no suggestion by the prior art of how a single handle can create the same feel as the dual handled golf club.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved handle for a golf club which allows training with the hands separated more than usual, but not so wide as to defeat the training purpose.